[Archived] City of Alexandria Provides COVID-19 Updates; Substantial Transmission Level; New CDC Guidance for Fully Vaccinated; Upcoming Vaccine Events; Updated Vaccine and Case Chart

­­For Immediate Release: July 27, 2021

Help end the pandemic by wearing a mask over both your nose and mouth, washing your hands frequently, and getting vaccinated. Approximately 1 in 20 Alexandrians who have tested positive for COVID-19 have required hospitalization, so without these critical steps, additional lives may be at risk.

Substantial COVID-19 Transmission Level

Following a recent increase of cases, Alexandria has been elevated to a state of substantial COVID-19 community transmission for the first time since early May. Other Northern Virginia jurisdictions are also either in moderate or substantial community transmission. The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) urges community members to take common sense precautions to reduce the risk of illness during this spike, such as choosing outdoor gatherings over indoor gatherings, staying home, getting tested when symptomatic, and wearing masks in public indoor settings.

New CDC Guidance for Fully Vaccinated 

On July 27, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced updated prevention measures based on the latest evidence on the Delta variant. The CDC now recommends that residents in communities with substantial or high transmission levels wear masks in indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status. Because Alexandria is currently in a state of substantial transmission, and is exceeding 50 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past seven days, masks should be worn in public indoor settings. The CDC also recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to all schools. 

Upcoming AHD Vaccine Events

AHD offers multiple pop-up clinics every week around the city where anyone aged twelve and up can receive their free first and second doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. As part of Alexandria's commitment to serving all communities, clinics are hosted at a variety of times in conveniently located neighborhood locations and do not require ID, insurance or English fluency.

Updated Vaccine and Case Charts

The City's daily vaccination rate charts have been updated to better reflect how the fully vaccinated and partially vaccinated numbers add up to reach both AHD and Virginia's vaccination rate goals. Alexandria's 12 and older population was recently recalculated based on updated data and has increased from 137,500 to 142,300. This increase in population number is the cause for a reported reduction in the percentage of those who are vaccinated. The new case charts focus on the past 90 days of cases and include context for the CDC transmission levels. AHD and the City will use the transmission level to inform policy and educational efforts to contain COVID-19 spread. 

Alexandria COVID-19 Data At-a-Glance

The seven-day moving average chart below shows the number of COVID-19 cases and the daily and cumulative case and fatality counts, and provides detailed information about how preventive measures are impacting Alexandria's response to the pandemic. An interactive version is available at alexandriava.gov/114883. Vaccination charts include total doses administered across all facilities, the percentage of residents ages 12 and older who have been partially and fully vaccinated, and weekly doses administered. Vaccination charts are available with definitions and data source information at alexandriava.gov/120654. Detailed data, including data on age, race and ethnicity, are available through links at alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus. 

The vaccination chart uses the most recent vaccination data in the Virginia Department of Health's Virginia Immunization Information System database. Health care providers have up to 72 hours after vaccine administration to input information into the database. The chart may not reflect all administered vaccinations as of the report date. Doses administered by federal agencies or outside of Virginia are not reported to VIIS; and are not included in the dashboard. Therefore, the total number of residents vaccinated is likely an underestimate. The City of Alexandria has chosen to use “partially vaccinated” and “fully vaccinated” rather than “at least one dose” to avoid the double counting of residents who received the J&J vaccine. 

Partially Vaccinated: Total number or percent of people who received the first dose of a two-dose vaccine course (i.e. the first dose of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine).

Fully Vaccinated: Total number or percent of people who have completed the recommended series of a given vaccine product (i.e. two doses of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or one dose of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson Janssen COVID-19 vaccine).

Continue following measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 even after vaccination. Get tested if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. If you test positive, help loved ones and neighbors by informing your close contacts using “ What to Do If You Get Sick” guidance, which is available in Spanish, Amharic, Arabic, and Farsi or this brief video.